Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1887-01-27
IN THE LIONS DEN.
Old Bob Tells q Neat Little Story and 10
Imprisoned on Strength of 1t.

Imprisoned on Strength OF 1t.
"Dar oughter be some law IN dis heah
country agin blowin' homes folks up
wild powder an all dat sorter foolish
ness" said old Bob, who, hobbling on
crutches, entered the office of the chief
of police, and addressed that officer.
"What's the matterP" the chief
asked
"W'y sab, somebody dun blowed me
up wild powder"
"Where We're you at the timep"
ain my own house, sab; ez peaceable
ez er man could be"
Had you been engaged in quarrel
with any one?"
mo, sab; not er tall"
ION good terms with your neigh.
bors?''
'Best in de worl'."
"How were you blown upp"
"W'y, sab, ez tells yer, l wuz a-set-
tin at home jes' ez peaceable ez er man
could-bless yer soul I wuz er readin'
my Bible at de time-when all o. FER sud-
denment, dar come de blamdest 'splo-
zion eber heard"
1--WE must look into this matterP'
said the chief.
"Yas, hopes yer will, sab. De fus,
thing | knowed, bur-lur BIN! am den
de stove do flew off an come mighty
nigh breakin' bof my laigs. De stove
an it cos me two dollars an sebenty-fi'
cents-wuz blowed all ter pieces, an
some sweet pertaters dat mad er roast.
in in dar-huh, scraped one O 'em of
de ice wild er case knife, an amt seed
de udder ones yit.
"You say that your stove exploded?''
"Yas, sah."
"How do you account for itp"
"Doan know, sab. Wuz er settin' dal
er readin' my Bible an"
"Yes, understand all that, but how
do you suppose any one could have put
powder in your stove without attracting
your attention.
'.Da couldn't done it, sab, an dat'i
whut pesters me. tuck all de ashes
outen de stove an swep' it out clean. ,
"Could any one have thrown powder
DOWN tne CHIMNEY!
"Ain't got no chimly. Stove-pipt
goes out de side O de house"
Just then a well-known citizen en-
tered ''Chief," he said, "the negroes
out my way are stealing my wood.
spoke to a policeman about it, but ht
said that he couldn't do any thing, so
took the matter into my own hands.
bored hole in a stick of wood ant
loaded it with powder. That night, Sc
l have been told, a terrific explosion
took place. don't know whether any
one has been killed. Thought I'd drol
in and tell you that if you hear unusua
noises out my way not to be alarmed.
When the citizen had gone, the chief
turning to Bob asked:
Doesn't that statement explain tn,
cause of the explosion which occurred
at your houseP"
'Look heah, boss; wuz in faber o
yerse'f when yer wuz er canerdate fu
dis office"
"That is all right. Where did 20,
get your wood the other nightp"
'Huh?"
The chief repeated the questlon.
"Whar l git de wocde'
"Yes."
Bought it."
"All Of itP"
"HuhP"
The chief repeated the question,
'Lemme see. Oh, yes, found 9
chunk in de street."
"Are you sure it was in the streetp'
"Cose l is. Knows de street when
sees it, reckon"
Jim" sad the chief, calling
policeman, ''take charge of this man.
"Whut fur?' exclaimed old Bob.
"For stealing wood"
"Dar, now; dar now; Use got il
Neber seed sich er fool ez / is. Com
right inter de lions den an gin mysc'
up. Thought | wuz gwine ter git som
money frum de city. Take me on g
way, an blame eff rkeers. eff yer fling
me in de riber. ."-Arkansoto Traveller.